Hearts?
by Iris Of The Open Skies
Summary: Ulquiorra never believed in something he couldn't see. He couldn't see a heart, so therefore, he didn't believe in them. What was a heart then? Will this girl give him the answer he seeks? Will it be what he was looking for? UlquiorraxOC No fluff. Sad Ending.
1. First Words

Las Noches was noisy. It was the creation of a new Arrancar. Not just any Arrancar, it was being created out of an Adjuchas directly. Lord Aizen was testing the power of the Hogyoku, there was no doubt about it. The question is, will this be another failed attempt like the several others?

No, and yes.

Much to Aizen's disappointment, the Arrancar he created _this_ time, was a fragile looking _girl_. He had nothing against girls, Harribel was a fine warrior, but this? He would try again next time. But, this creature had some spiritual pressure inside her. Could she be useful?

Maybe yes. Maybe no.

She had to be kept under surveillance. And Aizen knew just the person to watch her.

Ulquiorra Cifer. His most trustworthy and loyal Arrancar/Espada.

And he wouldn't disobey a command. Never.

Ulquiorra sat in the room the girl was in. Watching her every move. She behaved normally. Like a human. Too weak.

'She's just trash, I don't understand what Lord Aizen sees in her? Her spiritual pressure isn't that great.'

"You're going to look after me now?" The girl asked him.

No answer.

"You sure are quiet."

No answer.

"Aren't you going to talk?"

No answer.

"Can you talk?"

No answer, but the girl managed to make him look at her, as she advanced toward him, her hands on his face, her breath on his cheek.

'I must not kill her or hurt her. Lord Aizen has trusted me with this job.'

"You're alive aren't you?" She asked, breathing in his ear.

"Get off of me." He finally said.

The girl went backwards, clapping her hands rapidly, and looked at him with a smile.

"I win!"

"And what exactly did you _win_?" Ulquiorra had to ask.

"I got you to talk didn't I? What I won, is your attention." She winked at him.

Ulquiorra walked out of the room, his face emotionless, his pride hurt.


	2. Peace

It was a few days after that, when the girl managed to get Ulquiorra's name out of him. Her name wasn't important, but she said it anyway.

Irene.

Peace.

How ironic can her life get?

"I wanna go out." She grumbled.

"There is nothing to see on the outside."

"How do you know?" She asked, now looking at him.

"I've been there."

"Oh! Is it bright and sunny? Are there lots of people outside?" she asked, her voice cheerful.

"It's dark and lonely."

She grunted. "Sounds scary."

"Are you afraid of something?" He had to ask.

"I don't know. Maybe." She said, looking at his face.

"Ridiculous. How can you not know?"

"Are you afraid of something?" She asked.

"No. I am not." He responded.

"Come on! There must be something that scares you!" She persuaded.

"Not a thing." He retorted.

"What if I died? Would that scare you?"

He looked at her face. So pale. So full of emotion.

"Don't answer that one…please." She pleaded.

Ulquiorra was confused. Had he grown…attached to her?

Impossible. Out of question. He was merely doing what Lord Aizen had asked him to.

"Why not?" He questioned.

"I might not like your answer." She said, looking down. Her face sad, her voice barely a whisper.

Ulquiorra never understood why he said the words after that.

"I will not let you die."


	3. Care

Lord Aizen noticed the change in the female Arrancar's spiritual pressure. It had changed, but it didn't reach a level enough to make him satisfied. He just had to wait. He decided to give her some more time before-

He could order Ulquiorra to _kill her._

He would oblige, without question.

She was trash, wasn't she? Or was it what Aizen thought? Aizen grimaced, at the mere thought of Ulquiorra being…enchanted in a lowly piece of filth like herself.

He _trusted_ Ulquiorra.

And Ulquiorra lived to serve him. And there was no other reason for his existence.

"What do you think of _love_?" Irene asked, gaping at Ulquiorra's expressionless face.

"It's a petty human emotion." He answered, uninterested.

"Petty? Well, I think it's _beautiful_." She said, her voice, dreamy.

"It doesn't matter what you think, you're a fool." He said.

"Maybe so…but- I'm happy! I even _look_ happy. But look at _you_, all Goth and emo. You're depressing. Who's your stylist?" She teased.

Ulquiorra didn't understand why he felt angered. And another feeling; _Hurt_?

"I do not indulge in such useless activities. I merely answered your question." He countered.

"Why?" She asked, moving toward him, slowly. Ulquiorra did not budge. He just sat there, his gaze not faltering.

"Because you expected an answer." He answered.

"How do you know I expected an answer?" She asked, her hands twiddling.

This got the Espada thinking. How _did_ he know she expected an answer from him? That was obvious, everyone expects an answer when they ask a question. But what reason did Ulquiorra have to actually answer the girl's question? His opened his mouth to answer.

Nothing.

He couldn't speak.

The girl smiled.

He blinked.

She placed her hands together, palms in contact, and bellowed,

"Admit it Ulquiorra! There are something's you _do_ care about!"

The next thing he knew, he had stormed out of the room, his wrath intensifying, and his pride shattering.


	4. Heart

The female Arrancar had managed to get on Ulquiorra's nerves. He was annoyed. Officially. Vexed enough to gaze at her, his eyes filled with the intent to make her stop whatever she was doing.

She was making a high pitched muffled sound. A rhythmic sound, which seemed to have a pattern to it. This was…disturbing the Espada.

"What are you doing?" He managed to ask, confining his irritation.

"Hm? I'm singing! You like it?" She asked, stopping the noise, much to Ulquiorra's satisfaction.

"It's quite irritating. Stop doing that." He growled, his voice low.

She pouted. Ulquiorra understood that what he had said, had hurt the girl's feelings. He sighed.

"You're so mean! Don't you have a heart?" She asked.

'_Heart_.'

There was that word again.

It drove him _crazy_.

_Infuriatingly_ crazy.

"No." He said, completely meaning it.

She looked depressed. Like what he had said, made her feel sad. Her gaze on him, made him feel as if she pitied him. He didn't know what to do. He kept looking at her. And she him.

Finally she moved.

She came closer to him, advancing slowly at first, and then quickening her pace.

She embraced him. Her arms around his torso. Her head near his hollow hole.

He pushed her away effortlessly.

She came back again, holding him tighter.

"Ulquiorra…everybody has a heart. So do _you_. You might not feel it, but it's there, no doubt." She said, her voice hushed, and shaking.

He felt agitated.

"I cannot see a _heart_. And I do not believe in something that I cannot see. Therefore, there is no _heart_."

She sighed, but her arms didn't leave him.

"Can you see me?"

Was she stupid? "Are you an idiot? Of course I can see you."

"Then there's your answer. _I'm your heart_."

Ulquiorra's eyes widened. And then they closed. He didn't push her away for a long time after that.


	5. Comfort

Lord Aizen was tired of waiting. This girl was a failed experiment. It was time he ended her life. He summoned Ulquiorra, having no doubt that he would carry out his orders.

"End her life, _Ulquiorra_. She is of no use to us." His Lord ordered.

Ulquiorra felt horrified. It was an immeasurably uneasy feeling.

"Have I made myself clear? _Ulquiorra_?" His Lord repeated himself.

"Yes. Lord Aizen, I shall do as you ask." Ulquiorra said, kneeling to the man who had ordered him to destroy his heart.

She knew why he came.

She knew what he had been asked to do.

She knew it had to be done.

But she felt sad. _Alone_. She had always felt alone.

Until _he_ came to her.

"You're here to kill me?"

No answer.

A sigh. A groan. A sob.

She couldn't hold it in any longer.

She didn't cry because she was afraid she was going to die. She was afraid of leaving him all alone. As much as he pretended or thought to be, he was _not evil_.

He never could be.

_Ulquiorra_…

She embraced him, as tight as she could, crying on his chest. He just stood there, motionless.

But he felt agony. He didn't like it.

"It's okay to feel sad, Ulquiorra. Really." She tried convincing him, as if she read his mind.

His arm twitched. He felt the need to hold her. But abstained himself from doing so.

"Well, at least you're ending my life. It's a good way to go." Was she insane? Was she not afraid of dying?

"What do you mean?" He asked. She let go of him and moved back, smiling.

"I like the fact you're the one who's ending my life. You'll be the last thing I see, and somehow that comforts me."

"Makes no sense." He said, hoping she'd give him a proper answer.

"It doesn't have to."


	6. No Reason

She was singing. And moving around. She bumped her foot on the bed, and fell. She laughed. And stood up, moving around like that again.

She was happy.

But there was no reason to be.

"You're too happy. Might I ask why?" Ulquiorra had to ask.

"You're already asking me a question by asking me whether you could ask me why I'm happy. So shoot." She teased.

She was confusing him.

"You have no reason to be happy. You're going to die here." He reminded her.

She stopped moving.

Her back facing him. She sighed, and looked back at him, smiling.

"Does everything need to have a reason Ulquiorra?" She asked, her expression softening. Her smile fading.

It was the last few moments of her life. And she chose to die smiling and happy. For _no reason_.

It seemed _absurd_.

Illogical.

"It will be foolhardy not to." He countered.

"Oh really?" She asked, looking away from him.

Then she moved closer to him. He knew she would embrace him once more. She did just that.

He shouldn't push her away. She was going to die here.

That was just his explanation. He didn't _want_ to push her away.

"You're my reason to be happy Ulquiorra."

He closed his eyes. No, he was not.

"I am here to kill you."

"I know, just…stay still for some time okay? I wanna hug you all I can before I go."

He obliged.

"Do you at least know why he wants you to kill me?" She asked.

"Because you're not like me."

She understood that without him having to explain. She sighed.

'You wouldn't be a killer if you had another choice Ulquiorra…' she thought as she closed her eyes.


	7. Goodbye

It was the final call. He had to do it.

"I'm not a killer Ulquiorra." She said, her arms not releasing him.

"I know that." Of course he knew that. She was too…_gentle_.

"Is that a bad thing?"

Yes it was. "No." He answered.

"Do you think I'm trash Ulquiorra?" She asked him.

No answer.

He couldn't answer. He felt as if there were something holding him back from doing so. It had been only a few weeks, and he had become so used to this girl's mannerisms. Her greetings. Her idiocy. Her clumsiness.

_Her smile_.

He felt confused. He knew he shouldn't. He felt agitated. He knew he mustn't. He was breaking on the inside. And he knew, that it couldn't be helped.

It was too late.

She had answered his question about a heart.

The answer was-

_He was not supposed to have one_.

She smiled at him, and he felt the corners of his lips move, but held himself back.

She closed her eyes.

"Do it now."

One thing about this girl moved him. Even at the most difficult of times, she smiled. What he didn't understand was the reason behind it. She said it was him, but why him?

"You're not meant to be a killer Ulquiorra." She finally said. He disagreed.

"But I am." He said. "You're a good person used by bad people." She said.

He almost choked. It was too late now.

"Can I ask you a last favor?" His silence ushered her to continue.

"Stab me with your bare hand in the same location as your Hollow hole." She didn't know why she asked him to do that. He obliged.

"Goodbye Ulquiorra…" He stared at her lifeless body.

"I do not have a heart anymore." He said, the world inside him, completely crushed, with nothing remaining.


End file.
